Altered
by Queen Of Gabb 488
Summary: Perception is everything; reality a myth. It can change the way you see things, yet our feelings aren't just controlled by perception; they change our perception, decisions and fate. One small pebble can make giant ripples. (Elena/Katherine friendship; an appearance by the Ripper and our favorite Vampire Diaries villains) One decision can alter everything...
1. Chapter 1

"Kat!" Footsteps echoed as two five-year old girls ran wildly down the stairs, both giggling and their curly hair bouncing behind them.

"Hurry, 'Lena," Katherine beckoned her sister who was always one step behind her. "Hurry, or we'll miss it!"

Bright, white light blinded her as Elena opened her eyes, waking up to the same view as every other day of her existence. Katherine's bed was empty; neat and untouched, as it had been the last time Elena had seen her twin sister. That was almost four years ago.

"Happy birthday, sister," the sixteen year old whispered and for a moment she imagined Katherine was there, looking back at her with a classic Katherine Gilbert half smirk and smoldering eyes. Then she was gone. "I miss you, too."

* * *

><p>Walking down the hallway, Elena smiled and waved to people she had known her whole life; people who were meant to be her friends but all of that was lost on her today. Elena wasn't thinking of her quaint, small town life and the wonderful people who made Mystic Falls amazing; she was thinking of all the tragedies she was left to suffer alone and trying to hold on to what was left. At least, what people told her was left.<p>

She just didn't have it in her to believe in a life after the loss of her sister, and later, their parents. Aunt Jenna had stepped in, of course, but Jenna wasn't Miranda and Elena needed her mother. Still, Jenna did the best she could and it was a good thing she was who she was; Elena hadn't noticed her little brother going through his own troubles but Jenna had and she made sure Jeremy got the help he needed. Now he was in Denver, staying with cousins as he continued to recover from life.

That was what Elena found herself thinking as she put her books in her locker—just get through life; it's gotta end sometime! – and when she slammed it shut and turned to merge with the rest of the foot traffic, the tall, willowy brunette turned right smack into a wall.

A strong, steel like wall with an olive complexion and the most beautiful green-blue eyes. His hands reached out to steady her and she marveled at how someone could be so hard and soft at the same time. His amused stare held her gaze and Elena shook herself out of her daze.

"I'm so sorry," she offered before bending over to pick up her bag, surprised to see him beat her to it. Crouched over in a crowded hallway, Elena was captured by his stare yet again and she saw the stranger smile.

"It's my fault," he apologized and gave her a hand up. "I'm Stefan."

"Elena," she offered and held out a dainty hand as her other clutched her bag to her chest. "It's nice to meet you!"


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I know it's been awhile but here's an update. Hope you like it.

"It's nice to meet you!"

Stefan looked down at the hand he held, running his fingers across the back of her soft, delicate hands; memories igniting of another time, another place. "It was nice to meet you, too. Maybe we'll run into each other again," he smiled.

"I'll look forward to it," Elena flirted easily before sauntering off; amazed at how much she had sounded and acted like her twin sister. Kat had been the fearless one, the sister who knew just how to smile and flip her hair to get a guy to go crazy over her. Elena blushed as she kept walking, glancing back to the handsome stranger and waving before entering her classroom.

Stefan watched as Elena made her way to homeroom. "Hey, it's me. I know why it didn't work. Meet me in Mystic Falls," he spoke quickly and ended the call. The bell rang and the rest of the students scattered, leaving him alone.

* * *

><p>Walking home from school, Elena took her usual detour through the cemetery and stopped at her family plot. Although her sister's body had never been found her parents had thought it might bring the entire family peace to lay Katherine to rest; Elena curled up over Katherine's empty resting place and pressed her hand into the grass, imagining her sister reaching up to meet her touch. "I miss you," Elena barely conjured; her voice hollow and her eyes glazed over. "Where did you go? Why did you have to go?"<p>

"I'm right here, 'Lena," she imagined her sister's voice echoing in her ear; a hand brushing over her hair. "I've always been right here," Katherine assured her.

A single tear escaped her eye and as she raised a single finger to wipe it away the teen realized the perfectly sunny day had disappeared into the mist; a thick fog rolling throughout the cemetery.

"Elena," whispered softly through the fog; the teen stood and turned, searching for the voice. "Elena," voices echoed, "Run! Run! Leave Mystic Falls," Elena could hear Katherine's voice above the others. "Run!"

Elena started running and branches tore at her clothes and face, blood dripping from a slash on her cheek but the sixteen year old had one goal; find her way out of the mist until she was knocked down. Looking up, Elena was once again met by the face of an angel.

She couldn't breathe or think but to look into the glacial pools of the stranger's eyes. Set against porcelain white skin and midnight black hair Elena couldn't help but think he must be a fallen angel and never realized he was helping her up until she fell into his embrace. One of his hands brushed her hair back behind her ears and examined the cuts on her face gently.

"I'm here now," his voice sent shivers up her spine. "I'm here for you, Elena."


	3. Chapter 3

"I'm here now," his voice sent shivers up her spine. "I'm here for you, Elena."

Elena backed away in horror, her senses finally waking from the fog that had clouded her mind but strong arms held fast across her back and the fallen angel drew her in with "Shushes" and looked directly into her eyes. "You're safe," Elena felt all of her nervous energy dissipate.

"I'm safe," the teenager whispered. "But Katherine told me to run-"

"And we will," the stranger brushed her hair as he soothed her worries, "but you're going to need to trust me and we need to hurry; while the spirits shroud you in the mist."

"The spirits?" Elena asked timidly.

"I'll explain it to you when we get somewhere safe. Do you trust me Elena?"

There was no push and pull to get to a place where she knew whether or not she trusted this stranger; it wasn't like knowing she was safe with him where her feelings suddenly deviated with the push of a button. Something, somewhere inside of her was telling her to go with this man. For the first time in her life Elena followed her instincts. "I trust you."

* * *

><p>Stefan entered the Boarding House and stopped in the doorway, head tilting up as he cast out his senses; jazz was playing softly in the den and he could smell whiskey. Dropping his keys into the bowl and closing the door, Stefan made his way to the den and found his closest friend sitting behind his desk. "Well, well, well. Klaus Mikaelson in the flesh," he poured himself a glass and fell onto the leather couch. "And here I thought you had a three day rule about returning calls."<p>

"Well, when my best mate calls and tells me he thinks he's figured out why my curse was never broken when I thought he was going home to 'recuperate' I make time to amend my rules."

Stefan smirked. "Well, I'm glad to see I'm the exception to your rule. Tell me, how exactly did you find the doppelgänger you sacrificed in your spell four years ago?"

"She was a feisty little thing," Klaus recalled, "I nearly rethought the whole thing. You know I have a thing about kids," he pointed at his friend and Stefan returned the gesture.

"That you do. So how did you end up sacrificing her anyway?"

"Well, it appears that every five hundred years the world is blessed with a Petrova doppelgänger, which is more than I ever thought I'd have the pleasure of meeting, but still too long a time for me to wait for another chance. Had I known the spell would not be completed accurately I would have made sure young Katherine had a long, fulfilled life with many children."

Stefan gulped his drink, "So you could make sure there would be more doppelgängers in the future?"

"Exactly. It seems my sacrifice was prematurely made. While I may never know the full potential of my powers I am intrigued by what you may have discovered about why the ceremony didn't work. Pray tell, what did you find?"

"Well, it did occur to me that you should have mirrored the original sacrifice your mother made; Tatia was what, 16 when she was violently murdered by your parents?"

Klaus's smile turned into a scowl and his teeth clenched so tight Stefan could practically hear his teeth grind. "Your point," he asked not liking to think about his first love.

"You needed a sixteen year old doppelgänger to complete the ceremony on the 1000th year anniversary of the night you were turned."

"Meaning my desire to unleash my werewolf side made me weak and my fatal flaw; my desire to be whole, to be a family is what caused me to lose my only true dream."

"Unless you have another doppelgänger," Stefan said. Klaus's head lifted and his eyes narrowed. Stefan held up a hand and put his drink down. "How did you learn about Katherine?"

"A local witch by name of Sheila Bennett contacted me; they are one of the more powerful lineages amongst their kind. She delivered the girl to me and performed the ceremony in exchange for my promise that no harm would ever come to her family. What are you getting at?"

"Your anniversary is tomorrow, correct?" The younger Salvatore brother asked.

Klaus nodded and downed the rest of his whiskey. "What of it?"

"Tomorrow night, when the full moon reaches its apex, you are going to be the most powerful being whoever lived," Stefan told him. "But first, let's go find this Bennett witch."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n:** I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to update this story. Unfortunately, right after I updated it the last time, my father was involved in a very serious car accident and broke two ribs, punctured a lung, fractured his hip in two places and tore a muscle in his hip as well as having two brain bleeds. I've been focusing a lot of my time on taking him to doctor appointments as well as working.

When I started this story I didn't really know what it was going to turn into. I wanted to take a look at our characters and see how life would have been different for them if their perceptions were different. What choices would they have made differently; how would the relationship between Elena and Katherine be different? It's turned into a storyline that I am really proud of and I hope you enjoy it and continue to read. **Please review** and tell me what you think.

* * *

><p>Damon ushered Elena to the property Sheila Bennett had told him about, wary of entering after the initial greeting he had received; one hundred dead witches causing hundreds of aneurysms in his head.<p>

It was the beginning of fall and it was getting darker earlier, the duo only arriving minutes before sun down. As soon as they walked through the door Sheila wrapped her arms around Elena and lead her further into the dilapidated home. "Were you followed," the old witch asked.

"No," Damon told her, "but Stefan is here and enrolled in high school."

"Stefan is your brother," the teen asked and both Damon and Sheila looked at her with surprise.

"You've met him already," Damon's eyes widened and he took a step closer. "When did this happen?"

"This morning," Elena felt compelled to answer. "We bumped into each other at my locker before first period."

"Then he knows," Sheila said, "and Klaus will be here sooner rather than later. Smuggling her out of town is out of the question now. He'll be watching us."

"What's happening," Elena began to freak out. "Why were you going to smuggle me out of Mystic Falls? Who is looking for me?"

Sheila put a hand on her shoulder and used her other hand to brush a strand of stray hair behind Elena's ear. "There are things at play here, child. Things I never wanted you to know of; your parents tried to hide it away from you and your sister but there was no helping it. Klaus will come for you."

"Why?" Elena cried. "Why does he want me?"

"We will explain everything, but first we need to take this somewhere more private. I promise," Sheila spoke before the teen could interrupt her. She lead Damon and Elena down a hall, taking stairs down towards a basement and the only light came from the glow of dozens of large white candles. In the middle of the room was a low, round table covered by a black velvet cloth. "Sit and I will tell you everything you need to know about Klaus and what happened to your sister."

"You know what happened to Katherine?"

"Yes, darling child. I tried to help her, too. Things didn't go as planned." Pausing for a moment, Sheila glanced at Damon who was standing by the entrance of the room. "You've heard the rumors about me; what I am."

"Everyone says you think you're a witch but that you're just eccentric," Elena tried to put it as nicely as possible.

"That's kind dear, but I think the word you were looking for was kook," the Bennett witch laughed. "The truth of the matter is that I am a witch and I am not alone in this world. There are other beings that exist and they were created right here in this very town one thousand years ago."

"What does this have to do with me and Kat?"

"Oh, Elena," Sheila held her hands, "soon enough you'll come to see that everything has to do with you and your sister. You're very special, rare girls; magical in your own peculiar way. And it all started with a girl just like you..."


	5. Chapter 5

"Before the town was settled during the Civil War, Mystic Falls was inhabited by a people who had the ability to change forms; pop culture calls them Werewolves. A thousand years ago they lived here and were feared by the rest of the villagers. A family settled in the area from the old world; you might call them Vikings."

"Vikings, in Mystic Falls? But the Vikings never made it to America," Elena spoke out of turn.

"This family was special. The mother was a witch and after the death of one of her children she and her husband asked the witch Ayana for guidance; to tell them of a land where their family could be healthy and grow strong. They were lead here, and every month when the moon became full and the wolves descended on the villagers, the family would hide in the caves to be safe.

"During their time here, Esther and her husband Mikael, had many more children; five sons and one daughter. During the full moon, their son Klaus took his younger brother Henrik to watch the men change into wolves; sneaking away from the caves. Henrik was killed, and once again Esther and Mikael were struck with grief."

Elena looked heart broken, sad for the little boy who had been mauled by the wolves and his brother, whom their parents had blamed for his death. As Sheila told her about their desire to make their children safe from death and Mikael's treatment of Klaus, Elena tried to reconcile the image of a vulnerable young man with that of the man who was coming for her.

"Vampires, here in Mystic Falls?" Elena was pale and her eyes glazed with tears that had yet to fall.

"You're in the presence of one now," Sheila nodded towards Damon who still leaned against a wall, only offering a sly smile and wave of his hand. "Back to our story...when Mikael slaughtered his children to complete the ritual he had no idea of his wife's betrayal years earlier. The blood lust stirred in the children was unavoidable, but for one in particular it had far stronger implications. After Klaus killed his first victim he enacted a curse. To become a werewolf you must first have blood on your hands, then on the next full moon they go through the change."

"But wouldn't his parents have to be wolves too?"

"That's right, Elena. And Klaus's father was in fact a man from the neighboring clan. A fact Esther never informed her husband of. When it was discovered that Klaus was a werewolf, Mikael went crazy and convinced his wife to suppress Klaus's werewolf side. In truth, I think the coward was afraid that the child he had often mentally and physically abused would be too powerful for him to control. Mikael was, and still is, a miserable old bastard."

"But that doesn't explain why Klaus is after me," Elena was still distraught.

"When Esther cast the spell to give her family immortality, she bond the spell with the blood of a young woman who was the focus of Klaus's and Elijah's affection. Every spell," Sheila stressed, "must have something that binds it as well as a way to be undone. As such, nature creates another kind of mystical creature; a doppelgänger of the original woman. You, Elena, and your sister, are doppelgängers of Tatia Petrova. Klaus needs your blood to break the curse on him that suppresses his werewolf genes and to do so he must sacrifice you."

Elena was shaking by the time Sheila finished the story, and a horrifying thought crossed her mind. "Did Klaus take my sister?"

Sheila shut her eyes and held her breath for a moment, hesitating to reveal the truth with Elena. "Four years ago, Klaus decided to visit Mystic Falls; it was his attempt to find his home and since he grew up here, this was where he wanted to settle. I knew," Sheila pressed a palm to her chest, "that there was no hope of hiding you girls from him. Even though you share the face of the young girl he once loved, Klaus wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice you; his heart is locked so firmly away, I don't think he realizes he has one anymore. The memory of Tatia wouldn't protect you."

"What did you do," Elena's voice haunted by what Sheila hadn't said.

"I came up with a plan. I approached Klaus and told him that the cure to his curse was right here in Mystic Falls in the form of a twelve year old girl named Katherine. And then I handed her over to him."


	6. Chapter 6

"Why?" Elena cried in agony.

Sheila grabbed Elena's hand to try and comfort the young girl. "There are things Klaus does not know. Things he should never know. To release him from his mother's curse he must sacrifice a doppelgänger. What he has not learned yet is that he needs the doppelgängers blood in order to create more hybrids which his true purpose in breaking the curse. He wishes to make more of his kind so he will never have to be alone again. By handing over your sister I forced Klaus to leave Mystic Falls before he could learn any of this and about you."

"But she was only twelve," Elena began to cry harder.

"And your sister was prepared for this. The spirits have been protecting her all these years so that she may be returned to you," Sheila told her.

Elena swiped her tears with the back of her hand. "You mean she's alive? I thought Klaus sacrificed her?"

"And so does he but the witches could never allow such an abomination to exist. Now, however, he will be here again with the purpose to sacrifice a doppelgänger. If Stefan has seen you than we must begin to prepare you for the ritual."

"What ritual? What are we doing?"

"We must wake your sister from her slumber; this is why the sacrifice didn't work four years ago. The spirits performed great magic to ensure Katherine's safety especially since she is the reason why Klaus failed in his first attempt to kill a Petrova doppelgänger 500 years ago."

"What do you mean? How could Katherine stop anything 500 years ago; she wasn't born yet?"

Sheila began lighting more candles and dripped the wax into a ceramic bowl. "Katherine was not supposed to be born as your twin, Elena. She changed the fate of many when she escaped Klaus during her first incarnation as Katerina Petrova. She first lived her life in Bulgaria until her father exiled her for dishonoring their family. It was unacceptable back then to give birth outside of wedlock.

"They were a family of Travelers," Sheila went on. "A type of witch that was cursed to roam and never know the safety of settling and making a home. Katerina's father denounced their magic and settled. It is lucky that Kat's soul is so strong willed and determined. Katerina was determined to learn everything about their magic and learned in secret.

"After her exile, she fled to Europe and came across Klaus and his brother Elijah. They tried to trick her, letting her believe that Niklaus was going to wed her. When she learned about his true intentions she fled. She knew that Klaus would hunt her and she would not survive the sacrifice. There were only three choices to be made; she could run and eventually be sacrificed, escape the ritual by becoming a vampire and ensure Klaus's revenge, or she could use her magic to to cast out her life force. By doing this her soul was reincarnated once again as a doppelgänger, and as you're only born every 500 years she had to be born in the same year as the next doppelgänger.

"This is why you were born as twins. It was not supposed to be this way and yet it is," Sheila told her and pricked Elena's finger, letting her blood fall into the bowl. "By casting her soul forward Katerina has given the spirits the opportunity to end Klaus forever. When she rises, Katherine will need her sister by her side to complete her task. But first she must be risen. Are you ready?"

Elena nodded and felt the air whip around the room as Sheila chanted. Tonight she would be reunited with her twin.


	7. Chapter 7

The window blew out after Klaus tossed a vase through it. He had been in this house four years earlier and as such was still able to cross the threshold but when he got there the Bennett witch was no place to be found.

Stefan rifled through bookshelves and family mementos as his best friend flipped his lid.

Everything was gone.

The extensive collection of grimoires and texts had disappeared which was alarming considering Sheila Bennett was an occult professor at Whitmore College. Where had it all gone?

"Where is the bloody witch? When I find her-"

"-when you find her you're not going to do anything that is going to jeopardize your goal of creating your hybrids," Stefan told his friend.

"And what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Sheila Bennett is the answer to why the curse didn't break the first time and has been holding back valuable information, considering she's the one who came to me with Katherine. She was supposed to be an ally."

"And that never seemed curious to you?" Stefan asked. "A Bennett witch, a line that has always stood on the side of nature and rejects any kind of relationship with vampires, comes to you to break your curse. Which doesn't work although the doppelgänger is sacrificed. Now we find out that the doppelgänger was one of a set."

"Which has never occurred before," Klaus sits in an armchair and begins to bite his thumb. "It gives credence to your theory that the ritual needed to mirror the original sacrifice. But why would two doppelgängers be born?"

"That's something Sheila Bennett will be able to tell us but first," Stefan said picking up a picture, "we'll need help to find her."

Klaus looked at the photograph Stefan had handed him and smiled. "Well mate, I think it's time we partook in the community celebrations. Didn't you tell me that most of the town would be at a football game ?" He placed the photo back on the mantle where Stefan took a final glance at the teenager wearing a Mystic Falls cheerleading outfit.

* * *

><p>"Where is she," Caroline Forbes looked out to the crowd before stomping her foot. "Elena should have been here by now."<p>

Bonnie finished tying her shoe and picked up her pompoms. "It's her birthday, Caroline."

"That's no excuse," the blonde whined.

"As in, the birthday she shared with her twin sister who was abducted four years ago," hoping Caroline would take a hint to muster up some sympathy and compassion for their best friend.

"Oh, right," the blonde muttered, "her little ritual. Spend the afternoon with Kat at the cemetery before going home and watching home movies with Jeremy and Jenna. Well, it's still no excuse to let the team down," she continued her rant. "My Dad left and you don't see me moping around on the anniversary."

Bonnie stared at the blonde in disbelief. "It's a little different," the teen reminded her friend in a biting tone, "you're dad is still alive and you can still talk to him. Elena basically lost her whole family. God, Caroline. Show some compassion," she prompted and then left to talk to the other cheerleaders.

Caroline groaned and threw her pom poms down. "Good job, Caroline. You always say the wrong thing."

* * *

><p>Stefan and Klaus eyed the side lines where the cheerleaders gathered. This was a good old fashioned town and traditions stood firm, including chants Stefan remembered the cheerleaders using when he had been here in 50s. So much for originality.<p>

Klaus tapped Stefan on the shoulder and pointed, "Over there. There's the Bennett girl."

They began to inch closer when Stefan grabbed Klaus's shoulder and pointed to the stadiums. "And there's Elena."


End file.
